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Biomedical subjects

P G Stubblefield

Publications and source records attributed to P G Stubblefield.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Fetal atrial septal aneurysm. Prenatal diagnosis by ultrasonography.

OBJECTIVE: To assess prenatal diagnosis by ultrasonography in five cases of fetal atrial septal aneurysm. STUDY DESIGN: Five cases of fetal atrial septal aneurysm were diagnosed prenatally by ultrasound. Postpartum fetal cardiac echocardiography was performed in three of five infants from the first to the fourth day of life. The medical records of the five cases were reviewed and analyzed after delivery. RESULTS: Echocardiograms confirmed atrial septal aneurysm in two of the three neonates. One of the two infants was also found to have a patent foramen ovale, and the other infant had patent duct arteriosis in addition to a patent foramen ovale. Two had fetal cardiac arrythmias that resolved after birth. CONCLUSION: Atrial septal aneurysm in fetuses may be a natural transition in spontaneous closure of the associated patent foramen ovale or septal defect. The same phenomenon has been found in children and infants. Due to the uniqueness of the fetal circulation, atrial septal aneurysm may predispose to fetal arrythmias.

Adolescent

Massive vulvar edema complicating tocolysis in a patient with twins. A case report.

BACKGROUND: Severe vulvar edema is an extremely rare complication of pregnancy. One other case of tocolysis-induced vulvar edema has been reported, as have five cases of postpartum vulvar edema, associated with an 80% maternal mortality rate. CASE: A multipara with a twin gestation presented with premature labor at 31 weeks. The patient had no history of trauma, lymphatic obstruction, venous obstruction or infection. On the fifth day of tocolysis with magnesium sulfate, nifedipine, terbutaline and betamethasone, edema developed in both labia. The following day the vulvar edema had increased and spread to the sacrum. The patient was normotensive and afebrile. Resolution occurred in spite of continuous tocolytic therapy, which was stopped at 35 weeks. Two days later, on hospital day 27, the patient spontaneously delivered two healthy, male infants. CONCLUSION: The two reported cases of tocolysis-induced vulvar edema were not fatal and resolved after repositioning the patient in one case and by cesarean section in the other. However, since maternal death has occurred with postpartum vulvar edema, the patient with vulvar edema merits special attention. The WBC count should be determined and the patient's circulatory status evaluated to rule out hypovolemia.

Adult

Prenatal diagnosis of fetal bladder and cloacal exstrophy by ultrasound. A report of three cases.

BACKGROUND: Bladder and cloacal exstrophy can be diagnosed with prenatal ultrasound. CASES: Three cases of bladder and cloacal exstrophy were diagnosed prenatally by ultrasound and confirmed at birth. The ultrasound findings were a soft tissue mass in the lower abdominal wall (which appeared larger and more heterogeneous in cloacal exstrophy than in bladder exstrophy), absent bladder, malformation of the external genitalia and normal kidneys along with normal amniotic fluid volume. CONCLUSION: Prenatal diagnosis of these defects will allow appropriate referrals prior to birth.

Abortion, Therapeutic

A pilot study of cyclosporine for the prevention of postsurgical adhesion formation in rats.

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to evaluate the efficacy of cyclosporine in preventing primary postsurgical adhesions in the rat model. STUDY DESIGN: Thirty-two Sprague-Dawley rats underwent unilateral uterine horn injury with a combination of unipolar and bipolar cautery. Sixteen of the rats were randomized to the treatment group and received preoperative and daily cyclosporine dosing (10 mg/kg) by gavage for 14 days. At the end of the study all animals were killed, and a standard adhesion scoring system was applied by a blinded examiner. RESULTS: Adhesions were present in 75% of rats in both groups. Treatment did not affect the total adhesion score. CONCLUSION: Cyclosporine does not appear promising as a means to decrease postsurgical adhesion formation.

Animals

Randomized controlled trial of vaginal misoprostol and intracervical prostaglandin E2 gel for induction of labor at term.

OBJECTIVE: To compare misoprostol 25 micrograms administered at 2-hour intervals with intracervical prostaglandin (PG) E2 in women with Bishop scores of 5 or less. METHODS: Subjects were randomly assigned to receive either misoprostol 25 micrograms every 2 hours or a commercially available intracervical preparation containing 0.5 mg of PGE2 gel administered at 6-hour intervals for a maximum of two doses. RESULTS: Women who received misoprostol experienced a significantly reduced mean time (+/- standard deviation) from drug administration to onset of three contractions in 10 minutes, 6.7 +/- 5.8 versus 12.4 +/- 9.6 hours (P = .007). Mean time to rupture of membranes was also shorter in the misoprostol group, 9.7 +/- 5.5 versus 13.6 +/- 6.8 hours (P = .01), as was the mean time to delivery, 16.0 +/- 7.7 versus 22.4 +/- 10.9 hours (P = .006). Three patients in the misoprostol group experienced uterine hypertonus but not related fetal morbidity. CONCLUSION: Misoprostol is more effective than intracervical PGE2 in bringing about labor and delivery, but further work is needed to determine the ideal dosing regimen.

Administration, Intravaginal

Evaluating the role of incidental diagnostic dilation and curettage in young women undergoing elective laparoscopic sterilization.

Two hundred twenty-two women undergoing incidental diagnostic dilation and curettage (D&C) at the time of elective laparoscopic tubal ligation were studied retrospectively to ascertain if the risks of a D&C were warranted in a group of young, healthy women with a low risk of endometrial pathology. The endometrial sampling was associated with five uterine perforations and one readmission for bleeding and did not uncover any significant pathology in women under 35. The endocervical curettings did yield pathology of some clinical significance in women of all ages. The risk of uterine perforation was significantly higher in women who were < 15 weeks postpartum. We conclude that in a population of asymptomatic women under the age of 35, a diagnostic D&C is not indicated at the time of elective laparoscopic tubal ligation.

Adult

Septic abortion.

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Abortion, Septic

Menstrual impact of contraception.

Persistent bleeding is a common reason for the discontinuation of contraception. Standard terminology for describing bleeding patterns by reference period is presented. Observed bleeding patterns with oral contraceptives, depot medroxyprogesterone acetate, the levonorgestrel subdermal implant, and intrauterine devices are described. Bleeding days are least with oral contraceptives that are highest in progestin and estrogen potency and dose, but the ratio of the two steroids is also important. Published studies suggest that oral contraceptives containing new nonandrogenic progestins have bleeding patterns as acceptable as older low estrogen formulations. Approaches to the evaluation and treatment of intermenstrual bleeding with contraceptive methods are reviewed. Patient education on expected bleeding patterns is essential to compliance and continuation.

Contraceptive Agents

The effects on hemostasis of oral contraceptives containing desogestrel.

Epidemiologic research has shown that current low-dose estrogen oral contraceptives are associated with a low risk of vascular events (e.g., myocardial infarction, stroke, and venous thrombosis or thromboembolism). Yet questions still persist about the effects of low-dose oral contraceptives on the cardiovascular system. Changes in the coagulation system have been linked primarily to the estrogen component; however, it has been proposed that the progestin may have an influence on the fibrinolytic system. Desogestrel, a new gonane progestin, has been commercially available in Europe since 1981. It has been widely shown to produce minimal changes of the coagulation and fibrinolytic systems, and it has not been associated with an increased risk of thromboembolic disorders.

Blood Coagulation

Treatment of twin-twin transfusion syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether therapeutic amniocentesis may improve outcomes in patients with twin-twin transfusion syndrome. METHODS: Thirteen patients with possible twin-twin transfusion syndrome were evaluated for treatment. Therapeutic amniocenteses were performed on nine, and four patients were managed conservatively depending on the clinical severity of the twin-twin transfusion syndrome. RESULTS: Therapeutic amniocenteses resolved the syndrome in three of nine cases, with an overall neonatal survival rate of 83.3% (15 of 18) and neonatal morbidity of 53.3% (eight of 15) among the survivors. The survival rate in patients with expectant management was 75% (six of eight), with a neonatal morbidity of 33.3% (two of six). An association between amniotic fluid status and fetal outcomes was observed. Patients with normalization of polyhydramniosoligohydramnios had the best outcomes. CONCLUSION: Early, aggressive amniocentesis may be an effective therapy for twin-twin transfusion syndrome. Therapeutic amniocentesis may have the capability to alter inter-fetal blood flow, possibly as a result of changes in intravascular pressure, which are related to changes in intra-amniotic pressure.

Adult

Cigarettes, coffee, and preterm premature rupture of the membranes.

Premature (prior to 37 completed weeks of gestation) rupture of the membranes (preterm PROM) is one of the most common underlying causes of preterm delivery. However, there have been few epidemiologic studies of this obstetric complication. The authors studied the relation of maternal cigarette smoking and coffee consumption to both preterm PROM and spontaneous preterm labor not complicated by premature rupture of the membranes (preterm NONPROM) in a large cross-sectional data base. The 307 preterm PROM and 488 preterm NONPROM cases who delivered during 1977-1980 at the Boston Hospital for Women were compared with 2,252 randomly selected women who delivered at term at that institution. Multiple logistic regression techniques were used to derive maximum likelihood estimates of adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). After confounders had been adjusted for, the relative risk of preterm PROM for women who reported ever having smoked during pregnancy, as compared with nonsmokers, was 1.6 (95% CI 1.1-2.4). However, no gradient between the number of cigarettes smoked per day and the risk of preterm PROM was observed. Similar results were observed for preterm NONPROM. Women who consumed three or more cups of coffee daily during the first trimester had a 2.2-fold greater risk of preterm PROM than did women who drank two or fewer cups (95% CI 1.5-3.3). Among coffee drinkers, there was some evidence of a linear trend in the risk of preterm PROM as coffee consumption increased. Consumption of three or more cups of coffee per day was less strongly associated with the occurrence of preterm NONPROM (adjusted OR = 1.4, 95% CI 1.0-1.9).

Adolescent

Intraovarian abscess treated with laparoscopic aspiration and povidone-iodine lavage. A case report.

Intraovarian abscess is an unusual form of pelvic inflammatory disease usually managed with laparotomy. A patient with prolonged morbidity from an intraovarian abscess following pelvic inflammatory disease associated with an intrauterine contraceptive device was managed with laparoscopically guided needle aspiration of the abscess and povidone-iodine lavage. Laparoscopy should play a greater role in the management of pelvic inflammatory disease.

Abscess

Control of pain for women undergoing abortion.

To reduce the anxiety and pain experienced by women undergoing abortion, pre-abortion psychological counseling should be given the first priority. Additional techniques for reducing pain are described, including the use of local anesthetic, sedatives, analgesics, and systemic anesthetic agents. Recommendations for practice include an improved technique for paracervical block, modified abortion technique to reduce painful stimulus, and safe use of low dose intravenous sedatives. General anesthesia should be avoided to improve abortion safety.

Abortion, Induced

Cardiovascular effects of oral contraceptives: a review.

The evidence for and against the association of oral contraceptives (OCs) with vascular disease is reviewed, along with the possible pathophysiologic mechanisms for such an association, including effects on coagulation, circulating lipoproteins, and glucose metabolism. The new, low-dose estrogen OCs appear to affect coagulation minimally, and anticoagulant as well as procoagulant effects have been documented. Such concomitant factors as cigarette smoking, obesity, a family history of thrombosis, lack of physical activity, and blood type influence coagulation more strongly. Myocardial infarction and stroke are strongly correlated with the levels and pattern of circulating lipoproteins. The estrogen components of OCs have a favorable effect on lipids, while the effect of progestins, particularly potent androgenic progestins, is unfavorable and could be significant. OCs containing high-dose androgenic progestins can produce abnormal glucose tolerance resulting in increased cardiovascular risk. Low-dose OCs are associated with early, transient breakthrough bleeding. However, educating patients in the management of breakthrough bleeding can help reduce the number of women who must be switched to higher-dose OCs. Epidemiologic evidence confirms the safety of low-dose OCs. By selecting patients carefully, the risk of vascular disease from oral contraception can be reduced to very low levels.

Adult